Kingdom Hearts: The Mirror of Shadow
by AnimeMaster24
Summary: When Maleficent plans to free a Dark Entity imprisoned by Yen Sid long ago, our heroes must protect the keys to the seal while searching for the lost Keyblade Wielders. Dark secrets from Disney Castle's history force Mickey to face his past regrets while Sora struggles with his feelings for Kairi, but will the reappearance of lost friends be enough to guide them back to the light?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Gathering Darkness **

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Square Enix, or any of their properties, characters, or logos. This story is made solely for fun.

Foreword: This story is my first Kingdom Hearts based fan fiction, so I hope you all enjoy it. It follows the canon story up to Dream Drop Distance. I intend to introduce a lot of worlds from other Square Enix properties and more recent Disney Movies. You'll also see some development in the relationships and friendships between the characters, most notably Sora and Kairi. If you're into these sort of things, please stay tuned.

Our Story Begins...

It was another beautiful day at Disney Castle, and Queen Minnie Mouse was busy attending to her duties in the absence of her husband. It had been terrifying being held hostage by the likes of Maleficent and Pete, but even more pressing was the news she received from Donald and Goofy about their encounter in the World That Never Was. Now that Mickey was once again off saving the universe, all she could do was prepare and hold down the fort until the others returned.

The mouse queen collapsed into a chair in the castle library and clutched a large book to her chest. "Oh, Mickey..." she exclaimed with a note of sorrow, wondering to herself why they had to be separated so soon after his return.

Minnie cracked open the album and gazed at the photographs within, some containing people and places that she had not seen in quite some time. The oldest picture in the set was black and white and depicted her future husband standing at the docks beside Pete's old steamboat. As she flipped through the pages, her eyes gravitated towards more recent moments, including a group photo of the gang dressed in casual clothing, having a barbeque outside Goofy's house in Spoonerville five years ago. Life was so much simpler before they were forced to take on royal duties, but once and a while the old gang would sit down and have fun, just like in the early days of Disney Castle.

"Your highness!" a familiar voice reached her ears, pulling her out of her reverie.

She looked up to see Goofy's son Max, a dark-furred, anthropomorphic dog like his father. While the two shared an obvious family resemblance, Max was slightly shorter, had longer spiky hair, and a noticeably shorter snout. Like his more well-known father, the college-age Goof also wore baggy pants along with the Disney Castle soldier uniform. A pair of large square teeth protruded from beneath his jaw line, but the younger guard's expression was typically more sharp and focused than his perpetually cheerful dad, a trait he had developed to differentiate himself from his family's rather "goofy" reputation.

Once she had finished placing the album back onto the shelf, Minnie welcomed the young man. "You needn't be so formal with me when it's just the two of us. After all, your father and my Mickey have been friends since long before you were born."

"Well I am filling in for my dad while he's helping the king. It's an honor that you guys let me take the job in his absence." he hoisted a spear over his shoulder with one hand, saluting with the other. "I'm still sorry about letting those two evil dudes in the castle so easily. Once they captured you, the rest of us started panicking."

"We were all caught by surprise, and there was nothing you could have done with everyone barricaded in the library. Even Sora and the others barely managed to deal with Maleficent and her cronies, so I can't say we would've stood much of a chance." she added kindly. "Let's let bygones be bygones, and focus on doing our best in the future. You got that, Max?"

"Of course, your highness!" he stood up a little straighter, causing the female mouse to frown and tap her foot in disapproval. "I mean, Queen Minnie!" he added quickly, earning a cheerful smile from Disney Castle's matriarch.

Minnie Mouse pushed off of her chair in the corner of the room, landing on the hard stone floor of the castle with a grace befitting her position. After adjusting the edges of her regal dress, the female monarch continued onwards to the double doors, a pair of living brooms pushing them open for her to proceed down the hallway. Despite the darkness having pierced Disney Castle's defenses in recent times, the grand structure looked as magnificent as ever. The hallowed halls of this old world had existed before her time, and would not doubt remain long after they were gone. Only Mickey and a select few others were old enough to remember when it was built.

The young goof followed his queen a few paces behind, but she chastised him once more. "As I just finished saying before, you need not behave so formally." she giggled in response to his stiff countenance. "For someone who's supposed to be Goofy's son, you sure don't act much like it."

"I may look like my dad, but I was never a big fan of his antics." he began awkwardly.

"Why ever not? He's always been a very steadfast and loyal friend to everyone around him. You won't find a more dedicated soldier or a nicer person, no matter how many worlds you visit. The king said this himself, and he's been all around this big wide universe of ours."

Max shrugged her off. "Nah, that's not really what I was talking about." he began nervously, earning a glance from the female mouse. "My dad's a really great guy, but he has a tendency to embarrass me in front of the guys... If you know what I mean?"

"Oh, that's just Goofy for you! He always puts his full effort into everything he does, so it's only natural he takes his role as a parent a little too seriously."

"I just wish he'd dote on someone else for a change. I'm in college and he still likes to think of me as the same kid that used to believe in Santa Claus. Can you believe he still does!? It's like common sense completely escape him sometimes."

Minnie let out a high-pitched giggle at this last part, knowing full well that the big-bellied toy maker was real. "He certainly does have the heart of a child, but if he coddles you too much, it only means he cares. Being such a big-hearted fella, he probably doesn't know how else to express it."

The younger toon let out a sigh. "I know that. He's just a little bit too..."

"Goofy?" the queen finished with a knowing smile. She twirled around face him, looking upwards due to her notably shorter stature. "Think of it this way: He's hasn't always been able to spend time with you because of his royal duties. I'll bet that he realizes this too, and gets carried away whenever he does get to see you."

Max found himself agreeing, even if the outcome wasn't ideal for himself. His father hadn't really been around in a long time, and he did miss him despite the two having drifted apart over the years. "Speaking of my dad, I never did get to meet those Keyblade Wielders that he's always talking about. They sound pretty awesome!"

"I'm sure you'll meet them some day, although due to recent events, it may not be under the best of circumstances."

"Tell me about it..." he ran a gloved hand through his messy hair, looking uneasy at the thought.

Before either of them could speak again, the duo was interrupted by the rapid shuffle of hurried footsteps as Daisy emerged from the nearby stairwell. While she wore her usual formal garb consisting of a dress and tiara, the female duck was noticeably ragged, her clothes wrinkled and her headpiece slightly astray. It was obvious from her heavy breathing and exhausted appearance that she had just ran a great distance, the trait becoming more noticeable as she broke down into a series of heavy pants.

"Oh dear, it looks like you've been overdoing it again." the female mouse placed a hand to her mouth and let out a light-hearted chortle.

Daisy took a second to catch her breath before looking up at the queen, glancing at her and the captain with a sense of urgency that ceased her giggles "I'm glad I found you two..." she blurted out, her large eyes widening in panic. "The Tome of Oblivion is missing!"

Minnie Mouse placed her hands on her hips. "Honestly, you're still doing this? This isn't time for your childish jokes, Daisy."

"This isn't a joke!" The female duck shook her roughly, surprising her old friend, who backed away looking unnerved by the panicked gesture. "I was inspecting the King's private study while doing the rounds earlier, and the book was missing from its shelf!"

The queen leaned in, her own eyes displaying the same sense of worry. "You're serious, now!?"

Max Goof stepped forward and raised his hand nervously, causing both women to look in his direction. "Excuse me..." he began timidly. "I don't mean to be rude, but would someone care to tell me what's going on? What this thing you guys keep talking about?"

"It's really a long story, both figuratively and literally speaking. However, it may be cause for concern if the object is truly missing from my husband's private quarters."

"We don't have time for this, right now. Just follow me!" Daisy snapped in an anxious yet demanding tone, her pace quickening as they proceeded down the castle halls.

The trio ascended several flights of stairs in an attempt to reach the castle's main tower more quickly, the journey taking some time due to the fact that they were moving on up while having started outside the throne room on the structure's ground level. Max hurried to keep up with the two ladies, who despite being small and wearing elegant dresses, were surprisingly light on their feet. The substitute guard captain was often surprised him that his father's generation was so spry, despite being much older than they appeared, but at the moment he was more curious as to why they seemed so worried about something as trivial as a missing text.

They reached King Mickey's room several minutes later, a single guard having stood watch in their absence. He was a fat toon noticeably taller than Goofy, his rotund body shape covered by a thin chest plate bearing the Disney Castle logo. He also wore a knight's helmet on his large head, concealing his face from view. Daisy swept past the sentry with barely a backwards glance, closely followed by the queen herself. Max stopped midway through the door and smiled back at the portly spear holder.

"Hey PJ, they got you doing the grunt work too?" he greeted his best friend, casually flipping op the helmet visor to reveal a round face and pointy cat ears underneath.

"Heck if I know, buddy. I ran into little Miss Duck in the corridor one floor down, and she told me to make sure no one else came through here until she got back."

The two buddies bumped fists before locking their arms. "How's it hanging, pal?"

"Same as always... Just tryin' to live down my dad's reputation by helping out the good guys, if ya know what I mean?" he suddenly looked ashamed by the thought. "I heard he came barging in here a few times recently. Must've really stunk for the rest of you, since he brought that evil, dragon lady with him."

Max couldn't help but notice how his friend's tone dropped, although he tried not to say anything. PJ preferred to be referred to as such because he was named after his father Pete, an unfortunate circumstance considering the latter was one of their world's biggest disgraces since he was condemned by the royal family of Disney Castle. The younger Pete was pleasant, soft-spoken, and well-mannered, the exact opposite of his scheming and overbearing father. It was a little odd knowing that the two were related, but at the very least, it didn't seem like evil was a genetic thing even in that family.

While there was a family resemblance similar to that of Max and Goofy, it had often caused problems for poor PJ. "It's gotta be tough having Pete for a dad."

"Say no more, man." the tubby guard shrugged casually. "My mom says he tried to stop being evil after they got married, so maybe there's some good in the old man after all."

"Well at least he's not a complete embarrassment like my dad used to be." Max joked, only to be interrupted by the sound of the door bolting shut behind them.

The two boys exchanged looks of concern as they heard fait whispers coming from the king's study, but neither were able to make anything out. In the room beyond, Minnie found herself collapsing into a chair, her sad expression speaking volumes. Daisy paced around the room with an anxious twitch, her normally carefree attitude having evaporated in the course of the last twenty minutes. The queen had been unwilling to believe that the book was missing at first glance, yet a quick inspection of the room quickly made her realize how severe the situation really was. She knew that the knowledge contained in the lost text was something that very few people were allowed to possess, but never imagined that someone would try to take it.

After exhaling deeply, the female duck let out a low sigh. "Well, I don't suppose whoever took it can do any harm." she tried to rationalize, not quite believing her own words.

"I don't know." Minnie stammered with a shake of her head, looking distraught as ever. "Mickey told me that the secrets kept in that book could easily shake the foundation of this world if our people were to discover the truth."

"The secret history of our world was supposed to remain a secret, but the knowledge alone won't be enough to cause any physical harm to anyone, right?"

Disney Castle's Queen gestured for her friend to take the opposite side of her husband's desk. "I personally believe that book could be harmful in the wrong hands, but it's more disconcerting that anyone could have been aware of the ancient events depicted in that book, let alone know that we possess the only written record of them."

Daisy had never read it herself, but she did know enough to catch the reference. "You might be right." she stroked her lower beak nervously, a look of realization coming to her moments later. "Wait a minute... There is someone left other than the king who remembers the ancient times."

The female mouse looked up with disbelief. "You mean Horace, Clara Cluck, and Clarabelle? I doubt any of them would have betrayed us. They are our friends, after all."

"No, not them! I was talking about that rotten, no-good Pete! That oversized thug's been around even longer than the king."

"You're right!" Minnie jumped to her feet with a look of panic, the pieces slowly falling back into place in her mind. She stamped her foot on the floor and inwardly cursed herself. "Oh dear, why didn't I realize this sooner?"

The royal duck agreed. "He and Maleficent were holding you hostage while the rest of us were dealing with the swarm of Heartless she summoned. I'll bet that attack was just a distraction to draw our attention while someone else stole the book for them?"

"She did leave pretty quickly once Lea arrived through the Corridors of Darkness. I suppose there was no use fighting once she accomplished her goals." she looked up with great concern. "We need to warn the king about this, immediately!"

Daisy looked equally concerned, but less certain about their course of action. "The problem is that we don't even know if Maleficent was the one who stole it, nor do we know what she plans on doing. The book itself has no power to speak of. I mean, our world's history won't just hand her to the key to universal domination. Maybe I overreacted earlier?"

"While I won't entirely disagree with your claims, Mickey told me long ago that there was more to that book than meets the eye. Perhaps hidden in its pages was an even greater secret that even I was never able to discover for myself." she hesitated for a moment before clenching her gloved hands tightly. "He told me to defend it with my life, and now it's gone missing."

The female duck raised her hands. "Whoa, let's not jump the gun!" she warned. "Even if what you're saying is true, there's no guarantee that Pete will be able to decode the hidden message for himself. I mean, that overweight cat's always been a little slow."

"If we know Maleficent, she's probably figured it out by now." the queen lamented.

The room fell silent for several minutes, but after wracking her mind for other solutions, Minnie realized that she had no other way of knowing what they were dealing with unless they contacted her husband. She swept past her friend and opened the cabinet, taking out what appeared to be a blue crystal blue. Daisy watched with interest as her friend returned to the desk, placing the orb atop a niche in the center that she assumed was made to accommodate it. The female mouse didn't bother to sit back down, instead reaching her hand into a pot of what appeared to be glitter.

She took a handful and gently began sprinkling it onto the surface of the talisman with her stubby fingers, causing the ball to glow brilliantly before revealing the familiar sight of her husband's face. The image of the king looked around curiously as if he knew he was being watched, before directing his gaze directly at Minnie as if he knew exactly where she was. He smiled pleasantly and waved before narrowing his gaze, knowing immediately that they wouldn't have contacted him unless something serious was going on.

In a world far away, Mickey looked into a strange void that had appeared next to him, seeing the image of her wife's lovely face. "I got a strange feeling ya didn't call just cause you missed me." the king commented, his smile slowly fading away.

"I'm so sorry, dear. Is this a bad time?" she questioned in an apologetic tone.

Her husband shook his head. "Nope, I was just sittin' down for lunch." he raised his right hand, showing her a sandwich.

While relieved that he wasn't in danger, she couldn't help but feel bad at interrupting him. "Good, because there's something I really need to talk to you about... It's about a certain book."

As she spoke these words, Mickey dropped his food, working quickly to regain his composure. "Well, it looks like we do have quite a bit to discuss then."

Meanwhile... 

Back at Yen Sid's tower, the remaining Keyblade users continued their diligent training under the watchful eye of their newest master. Riku sat on the steps leading up to the wizard's home with Sora seated next to him, the two watching with interest as Kairi fought an uphill battle with the fiery haired Lea. While the former Organization XIII member was also new in the practice of wielding the legendary weapon, the fighting skills he had obtained during his time as a nobody were fearsome as ever, something that they all knew from experience. His swordplay was less refined than the more experienced members of their ranks, but his mastery over fire magic more than made up for it.

Kairi leapt to the side to avoid a blast of fire, looking up in time to catch an attack as the black-coated redhead charged her directly. She winced slightly as her Destiny's Embrace locked with Lea's fire-based blade, but due to his superior physical strength, he easily pushed her backwards, causing her to land with a crash on the ground. Lea pointed the end of his Keyblade towards her face with a gentle shake of his head, prompting Sora to bolt into a standing position. He instinctively positioned his hands to summon his own weapon, but was stopped by Riku.

"I guess that makes twelve victories for me, and zip for the princess." the former nobody counted, looking rather bored with the proceedings.

The Princess of Heart stood up, wiping to dirt off her outfit with a frown. "It's true I haven't been doing this for too long, but maybe it wasn't realistic to hope I'd be a natural."

Sora clapped a hand on her shoulder and grinned widely. "I'd say you did pretty well for a beginner. Especially considering how many years Axel spent fighting for the Organization. He could probably take us on without a Keyblade."

"For the last time, my name's Lea..." the redhead groaned in response to the familiar mistake.

"Sorry man." the spiky-haired boy apologized, casually placing his hands behind his head and leaning back slightly. "If I'm not mistaken, you were Axel a lot longer than you were Lea."

"Not quite, but sometimes it feels that way." the dark-clad man replied, his eyes wandering towards the starry skies above. Granted his life had been a lot more eventful as a nobody than as a human, but it had come with a fair share of loss as well. After a moment, he glanced back at the female of their group and shrugged. "Sora's right, though. You're still a novice fighter, but a far cry from the girl I grabbed by the wrist and dragged into the darkness."

Kairi found herself cringing at the thought, but her discomfort was quickly replaced by a playful smile. "I'm still hoping to get you back for that one of these days. Maybe during one of our sparring matches, if you know what I mean?"

"In your dreams, princess." he shot back, looking over at the gray-haired master. "If they let this kid attain the rank of master so easily, I'll be up there in no time."

Riku exhaled deeply as he remembered the ordeal of the Dream Worlds, memories of Xehanort's revival and Sora's kidnapping coming to mind immediately. They had barely made it on time to save him, and even then it had been difficult. The trip through the endless voids, the conversation with those strangers in Traverse Town, and his continuous battle with the Seekers of Darkness were all still fresh in his mind. Most strange had been the omniscient Joshua, who seemed to be aware of Xehanort's plot, yet spoke in riddles and never gave a straight answer. Despite being given the rank of master, the number of questions they had unanswered only grew by the end of the Mark of Mastery.

"I went through Hell to get where I am now, but it doesn't make a difference. So long as we continue moving forward to stop the darkness, that's all I can hope for." he spoke calmly, earning the silence of his rambunctious comrades.

Sora was the first to recover, his trademark smile causing the others to ease up as well. "Looks like you've learned a lot more from these adventures than the rest of us." he admitted, rubbing the back of his head with a gloved hand. "I may have done a lot of fighting, but at heart I still feel like that same kid who left the islands over a year ago."

"Speak for yourself, kiddo." Lea folded his arms and leaned against the stone tower.

"Don't worry about it, Sora!" Kairi stepped past the others, taking his hands in her own smaller ones. "The fact that you went through so much and managed to stay the same is one of the things that makes you special."

He looked down at her flawlessly soft hands cradling his own, blushing slightly as he realized the gesture intimacy. "Um, you really think so?" he stammered nervously.

The red-haired princess nodded without hesitation. "Maybe you are still that goofy little kid who wanted to be my friend, but I really wouldn't have it any other way!"

Sora found himself inching towards her, the gesture going unnoticed by his friends. Ever since they reunited in the World that Never Was, he had felt a strange emotion welling up inside him whenever she was near. He had experienced this warmth back when they lived on the island together, but the strange light-headedness and unspecified sense of desire had only increased. In that single year whatever feelings he couldn't quite identify had become stronger, along with his desire to be close to her.

Kairi cocked her head to the side with a sweetly innocent smile that reminded him of her younger, more carefree self. "You might say that's what I've always liked about you. You have such a kind heart, and you always think of others before yourself."

Their gazes met for a second, both sets of cheeks turning a light pink color as they glanced down at their interlocked hands. Sora was easily overwhelmed by the desire to embrace her among other things, but forced himself to release his grip, falling back with a pang of disappointment. He began shaking his head in an attempt to clear it of his previous thoughts while Kairi looked away with a similar expression, although her face contained less confusion and more frustration in comparison to her friend.

Lea exchanged a knowing expression with Riku, but neither voiced their thoughts. While the gray-haired teen had often teased Sora in the past about his attachment to Kairi, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous at the seemingly mutual bond that had only grown stronger with their separation. The group's lone adult seemed more amused by the situation than anything else, although due to spending so many years with weakened emotions, he had less experience with this type of thing, having considered the idea of romance to be a source of trouble along with women in general.

"That's enough you two lovebirds... Save it for after practice, will ya?" he sniped with a grin, earning a look of disapproval from the newly christened master.

"We're not lovebirds!" Sora shot back, looking back to see his female friend nod in agreement. Despite this, her sad smile did little to reassure them.

"Yeah, just friends..." she agreed in a slightly bashful, yet surprisingly bland tone.

The former nobody might have been the adult of their group, but his sarcasm and constant barbs spoke otherwise.

Riku elbowed him in the gut, clapping his hands loudly to bring the lesson back on track. "I hate to be the downer, but we've got countless worlds to save, and no time to waste goofing around. Master Yen Sid put me in charge of our sessions, and I say it's time we get back to work!"

"C'mon Riku, we've been at it all morning. Don't you think it's time we took a break?" Sora asked pleadingly.

While he understood how they felt, Riku sometimes hated having to be the responsible one. "Not happening. Kairi still needs the practice, and the rest of us need to be ready to go at any time. We don't have luxury to be playing around when the entire universe is at stake."

"I don't see what harm it could do to take five, especially since I've been the one doing all the hard work." the Princess of Heart folded her hands innocently and gave them a charmingly reserved smile, causing Sora to melt and Riku to turn away in attempt to resist.

After a few seconds, the silver-haired boy surrendered at last, knowing the others weren't giving him much room for debate. "All right, have it your way." he straightened up a little before regaining his previous stoic demeanor.

"Thanks buddy!" Sora turned to his crush and grinned widely. "What do ya say we go for a walk in the meantime? There's some interesting places around here I wanna show you, and a lot of cool stories I still haven't told about our adventures."

"Somebody has a big head after saving the universe." she poked him in the space between the eyes with a mischievous smile.

He blushed ever so slightly, running a hand through his spiky hair. "You really think so!? Hey, didn't you just get through saying I'm the same guy you've always known?" he asked, humorously faking a hurt expression.

"I wasn't lying... Thinking back it seems like you always had a tendency to show off."

Sora paused for a second as he considered her words, his mind replaying the days when he would compete with Riku. Whether she knew it or not, Kairi had been part of the reason. "Um, I guess you're right." he admitted, purposely not voicing the rest of his thoughts.

"Let's go!" she suddenly grabbed him by the hand while gently leading Sora away from the others, the young hero smiling awkwardly back as he found himself instinctively following along.

She could be so cute when she wanted something, but for some reason it always worked. Riku pondered if she purposely did this just to get her way, but he couldn't help but admit how effective it was. "You've got five minutes!" he called out after them, not even receiving a backwards glance from the couple.

Lea folded his arms with amusement as he watched them go, his trademark grin catching the attention of his fellow loner. "Would you look at that? Does he know he's being led around like a dog on a leash?"

The silver-haired Keyblade Master gave the retreating duo a similar expression, but with a more nostalgic inflection. "Some things never change for us, no matter how much time passes by." He summoned his Way to Dawn. "So fire-head, think you can go a few rounds with me? You did say you wanted to surpass me."

"Nah, I think I'll pass for now." the former Axel walked in the opposite direction, giving a casual wave over his shoulder. "You kids can do whatever you want, but I'm out..."

Riku didn't bother arguing as he watched the others scatter, guessing that it would be some time before Sora and Kairi returned. Likewise, he also guessed that Lea was probably heading off somewhere to take a nap, which was usually the case whenever he slunk away from the group. The foursome had spent almost a month together training like crazy to hone their abilities, and had gradually accepted him into their circle, despite his heavily flawed personality and lax approach to most everything. He guessed the bond had something to do with the past friendship between Roxas and Axel.

As the young Keyblade Master went about his own business, Yen Sid watched his charges from the window of his tower, looking serious and pensive as ever. The elderly wizard stroked his beard thoughtfully as he watched the group part ways, somewhat proud that they had been working so hard to hone their skills. Of course, this did little to alleviate his concerns. If the testimony given to him by Mickey was to be taken seriously, then they stood no chance against the comings threats at their current level.

The older man prepared to return to his seat when the crystal ball on the table across from his began glowing, the swirling mists within contorting to reveal the face of his former apprentice. "What do you require of me, Master Mouse?"

Mickey's deeply serious expression caught the wizard's notice. "There are a few things I need to speak to you about immediately, but I don't wish to say much in case someone is listening." the king's tone became slightly hushed as he spoke the last part.

"You may speak..." Yen Sid sat down in a chair by the table, gently stroking the end of his beard with am aged hand.

"It would seem you were absolutely right about Master Xehanort's return causing several unforeseen problems. The darkness in several worlds appears to be escalating, almost like the universe itself can sense the coming calamities!"

"Does this directly concern the prophecy he spoke of when you and the others encountered him within the Dream Worlds?"

The king hesitated for a moment, but shook his head nonetheless. "It would seem there's some kind of connection, but from what I can tell, he's fallen quiet since last we met. I would assume he's waiting for the complexion of the Thirteen Darknesses before revealing himself to us."

"After experiencing several failures over the years, it appears Xehanort has chosen to proceed with caution. Very wise, but at the same time it gives us little to observe until the promised day. If we are not able to learn more about his plans, this could prove problematic."

"As I was saying before, the growing darkness seems to be causing even more trouble than we anticipated." the mouse's expression became uncharacteristically somber.

"You spoke of this once before... How Maleficent was able to enter Disney Castle due to the Cornerstone's inability to block out the growing presence of evil."

Mickey's expression became unusually grim for the cheerful mouse. "To be more precise, the descending darkness is strengthening pre-existing evils. It not only empowers the wicked, but also weakens the light. It's a loss on both fronts!"

The old master's expression remained impassive, but the arching of the wizard's eyebrow was enough to show that he was concerned. "I expect you have come to this conclusion based on observations made throughout your travels. Would I be correct to assume this?"

"Exactly right!" the king nodded sternly. "It would seem that many people have begun suffering as a result. Nasty folks living in different worlds have become empowered by the darkness, tapping into their own souls to summon the Heartless."

Yen Sid's eyes widened ever so slightly at the thought, but his expression quickly became inscrutable once more. "This was not entirely unexpected, least of all to us... Your words of anguish exist as undeniable proof that knowing something will occur and seeing it for oneself are two entirely different things."

"It's something I've known all too well since the day I first embarked on my journey with the Keyblade." he replied, lowering his head gravely.

"I know you would not speak urgently had you nothing of particular importance to report." the elderly man added suddenly, quickly earning his apprentice's attention. "Perhaps there is something else on your mind that you wish to explain."

"Two things, in fact!" Mickey concurred, his businesslike tone returning. "I've noticed an unusual amount of Heartless congregating in Gaia VII, a far off world I recently stumbled upon during my search for Xehanort."

"Did you investigate more thoroughly to find the cause of this outbreak?"

"A number of flying Heartless guarded the airspace surrounding this world, so I was unable to draw close without putting the Gummy Ship in danger. It would seem whoever is behind this doesn't like visitor's much." he considered the facts for a moment. "From what little I've heard about this particular world, it's mostly populated by humans in a similar to Radiant Garden, but much more densely inhabited. Any attempts to blend in would have been unsuccessful."

"Your discovery is most intriguing, but I see no immediate reason to endanger yourself when we lack any pertinent information concerning this world's current status."

The mouse monarch agreed. "The Gummi Ship's censors went haywire as I flew past it, though. Gaia VII happens to be an extremely large world, and the sheer number of Heartless the instruments detected probably numbered somewhere in the hundred-thousands. I haven't seen numbers like that since those Shadows attacked in the World that Never Was."

Yen Sid shifted in his seat, calmly pressing his fingertips together in thought. "Very well, then... Perhaps it is best that we keep an eye on this situation for the time being." he leaned forward slightly, his frown deepening. "You claimed something else was amiss... Tell me."

Mickey looked suddenly ashamed at the thought, his fists clenching in a rare sign of anger. "We have reason to believe that the Tome of Oblivion was taken by Maleficent during her recent raid on Disney Castle."

"The secrets contained within are not meant to be read by outsiders." the wizard spoke, his deep tones threatening an outrage that he hid well. "You know as well as I do... The secrets that your predecessor hid within the lines of that book. It was your responsibility to guard it!"

"I know... That's why... ... I was afraid to tell you about this." the mouse hesitated again, his eyes closing in the deepest shame. "It was hidden in my personal study behind magic door the likes of which no ordinary person could have opened. I believed that the secrets within were safe, because no one who knew about the book would dare speak of it!"

The old Keyblade Master only took a moment before figuring it out. "Except for one..."

"Pete!" Mickey finished with a frustrated shake of his head. "Neither he nor Maleficent had that type of magic capable of opening the door to my private study, at least to my knowledge. I expect that Xehanort's darkness was what weakened the seal."

Yen Sid remained silent for several moments as he considered the situation, calmly stroking his beard. "This was not something I believed would ever come to pass, but for the time being, we can only hope that they are unable to decipher the hidden message within."

His apprentice looked suddenly more determined, "They won't have the time, if I can find them first! I promise to get that book back before then!"

"If they truly have it in their possession than it may be too late for that to make a difference, yet you have not claimed any solid evidence that Maleficent was the one to take it."

"The only other person I can think of is Xehanort himself, but I can't imagine he would have any interest in something like that. He plans to rule the worlds himself, but acting on the history of that book would..."

"Enough!" Yen Sid raised a hand to silence him, knowing it was possible that someone could be listening to their conversation. "I have little doubt that anyone but Pete would have told her about that document. Her visit to Disney Castle was likely a distraction so that a collaborator could steal the book while your mind was clouded by worry for Queen Minnie's safety."

"That doesn't entirely explain why she demanded the Datascape from Jiminy's Journal, but I suppose it makes sense. If the Tome of Oblivion was her true objective, than that means..."

"We may be forced to divide our forces to deal with this situation." the wizard added.

"I'll get back there as soon as possible, and then we can..."

Yen Sid shook his head resolutely. "You are needed for more important matters, I'm afraid. The investigation into Xehanort's whereabouts and the search for the missing Keyblade wielders falls to you, the most experienced master. It is a quest of greater significance, until we can find more answers to our questions."

The king took a deep breath before accepting the terms. Even though he had long graduated from the old man's tutelage, he still couldn't find it in him to defy the man. "What about Riku and the others? Do you intend on sending them to search for answers on the opposite front."

"I will alert them of what you have told me, and then we will formulate a plan. In the meantime, continue to report back to me with any developments on either side of the situation."

"Of course!" Mickey replied obediently, fading from the crystal ball as the conversation ended.

The wise mage stood up from his seat, returning to his desk with an unusually weary grimace. "I fear the worst possible turn of events may yet come to fruition." he murmured quietly, images from the past dancing through his aged mind. In that moment, the spry wizard felt much older than he had in many long years.

Meanwhile...

Pete paced the stone floor with mingled impatience and interest, having been doing so for the last several hours. By now he had practically memorized every detail of the decrepit room, from the cold hard walls to the crumbling furnishings and tattered curtains. The chamber was barren and inhospitable despite having been the evil fairy's home for countless years, yet Maleficent hadn't dwelt in the castle for quite some time. The old structure stood amidst the Forbidden Mountains bordering King Stephan's Kingdom in Enchanted Dominion, one of the very first worlds to fall prey to her mad crusade to obtain the Heart of all worlds.

After being defeated by Sora in the ruins of Hollow Bastion and losing Radiant Garden, she had traveled searching for a new castle from which to rule, only to fail several times. She had even attempted to seize the Castle that Never Was from the nefarious Organization XIII, but that world fell into darkness following the defeat of Xemnas and return of their leader Xemnas, forcing her to return home to her original base of operations.

The overweight cat passed by a stone throne, the literal seat of power from which Maleficent ruled the barren landscape. While tired from the day's events, he dared not sit down for fear that she would see him. Pete jumped slightly as he heard the hoot of an owl echoing through the moonless knight, his large beady eyes gravitating towards the room's lone window, his gaze quickly shifting to the thick wooden door leading to Maleficent's personal chambers. He contemplated interrupting her, but thought better as he felt pain from the burn on his back he had received from the last intrusion.

Suddenly, the sound of creaking hinges caught his attention, the sorceress throwing open the door and stepping into the room moments later. "At last, I have succeeded!" she raised a hand in triumph, her eyes alive with malice.

"What was you tryin' to do, again?" Pete asked, giving his head an absent-minded scratch.

Maleficent's elation changed to anger, her yellow eyes narrowing in irritation. "You gelatinous waste of brain matter! Was it not you who told me of the hidden secrets in the book!"

"All I was sayin' is that Yen Sid fella hid some stuff between the lines, and it ain't like anyone but the Boat Boy King knows how to crack it. The crazy old codger made sure not to tell no one else how to figure out his notes."

"Surely his intention was to protect others from the dark secrets that lay hidden within this ancient tome, but he was most unwise to leave any record of the dark ages behind, regardless of how well-protected it was."

Pete lumbered forward, taking a peek over her shoulder into the room behind. "Don't tell me you was able to undo dat guy's spell?"

The dark-clad woman made a sweeping gesture with her hand as she ushered him into the chamber, directing his stare towards the open book on the table. "Indeed I have..." she spoke nonchalantly, ignoring his jaw-dropping shock. "It wasn't so much a matter of dispelling the wizard's spell, as it was analyzing the magic itself. When I noticed that the last few pages were blank, it was simply a matter of figuring out what type of spells he used to hide the information from prying eyes. Once I was finished, it was child's play to create a counter-spell."

Her minion closed his own mouth by pushing the lower half of his jaw upwards. "Well, I guess you always were pretty good at dis sorta hocus pocus. Better then me, dat's for sure!"

"I must admit, the combination of seals he employed was quite impressive. It took me a hours of rereading the contents of this book just to identify them, and even longer to break the encryption. Yet there may not be anyone else but myself with the magical knowledge to do so."

Pete looked slightly hesitant for a moment as he remembered what transpired in ages past. For a moment he wondered if this plan was really worth going through with it, but at this point they had little other choice. The treacherous Master Xehanort and the heroes of the Keyblade had been ahead of them at every turn, but neither faction would ever risk what they were about to do, and he knew just how dangerous it was. While he was known for being an indecisive coward, the old cat was not without his occasional moments of crucial insight.

He glanced at the tome for himself, but was unable to read the ancient symbols for himself. Such runes were beyond his magical expertise. "Is dis really everything we was hoping for?"

"That and more, my simple friend..." Maleficent replied, her vulture-like hand snatching the book from his sight and stowing it away in the tattered folds of her cloak. "Hidden by Yen Sid's magic was the information necessary to access the forgotten world that his foolishness created so long ago, and also the immeasurable power that lies slumbering within."

"I ain't too sure this is a good idea, but I guess we don't got much of a choice now, do we?" he spoke with a note of hesitation, looking conflicted once more.

The evil fairy disregarded him without further council, conjuring her scepter with a casual wave of her hand. "The time has come for us to venture further into the darkness than anyone has before, even that decrepit old fool!"

She placed her hand over the surface of her staff, the energies within the orb swirling maliciously as the spell took place. Maleficent spoke a series of complex incantations the likes of which were completely lost on her assistant, the darkness emanating from the core of the crystal forming a dark aura on the pair that sent a shiver down the overstuffed cat's spine. The feeling of dread was similar to the sensation he felt when they entered the World That Never Was, like a well of dark magic that seemed bottomless. He shivered violently as his superior held her arms in the air, the aura lifting to form a strange doorway.

Unlike the Corridors of Darkness that evildoers often used to travel between worlds, the magical doorway had taken the shape of a large wooden door, not so different in appearance from portal that had led them into Timeless River not long ago. However this threshold held a much darker ambience, as pitch-dark energy seemed to seep through the cracks in the door, and a cold, empty feeling coursed through them just by being in its presence. While Pete remained frozen in fear, his superior looked positively elated at her success.

"Our time has come..." she placed a hand on the doorknob, causing a light to shine forth.

Pete shielded his eyes before glancing over at his superior in concern. "What the heck is that!?"

"No doubt the remains of an old spell cast by that accursed wizard to keep anyone from accessing this world." The dark sorceress was pushed back for a moment, but her grip on the handle only tightened and a dark smile came to her lips. "However, the magic has weakened with time... I shall not be denied!"

With a strong movement of her arm, she thrust open the entry, and stepped through doorway without hesitation, closely followed by her reluctant helper. On the other side the portal she stepped forward gracefully with Pete tumbling clumsily behind. The humanoid cat stumbled to his feet, spitting out a mouth of dirt as he scrambled forward to catch up, his jaw dropping in awe as they stared out over the abyss. The pair of villains were situated on a cliff overlooking the land they had entered, the sight both frightening yet hauntingly beautiful at the same time.

The expanse of land stretching out was dark and eerie, the a ghostly green glow covering the landscape as far as the eye could see. The skies were dark and starless, the only source of light being a tiny crescent moon in the sky above their heads that provided only a minimal amount of light. There were no clouds or grass, and the barren forests seen in the distance were dead and mangled as though some evil force had siphoned all life from nature itself.

"I don't know bout you, but dis place if given' me the creeps." Pete cowered behind his master, her smaller frame doing little to hide his bulk.

Maleficent tugged her robes from of his hands with a note of distaste before letting out a cackle of glee, her eyes widening in vindictive happiness. "Be silent! Do you not sense the power that lies dormant here?"

Her partner lumbered forward so that he was standing beside her. "I sorta felt somethin' like dat when we first got here. You don't suppose it's comin' from dere?" he pointed towards the gigantic structure in the distance.

"Yes, the source of this magnificent power lies yonder." she deduced, using her staff as a walking stick as she began traversing the treacherous terrain. Her subordinate almost tripped as he fell into step behind her, but she remained unconcerned. "Hurry you fool... That which we desire must be claimed."

A weathered stone road marked the twisted and inhospitable terrain, leading up to an ominous castle in the distance. Even from atop the hillside they could see the structure's iron gates. The structure of the stone building resembled a mixture of the Castle of Dreams and Disney Castle itself, but the dark onyx color of the walls and strange glow coming from the tower windows gave it a most unsettling aura. The building was strangely warped, like someone had taken molded clay and twisted it, making it appear poorly constructed, or dangerously built.

Neither of them spoke as they continued down the path, the eerie quiet and shifting shadows causing Pete even more discomfort. Most worlds they encountered were inhabited by some manner of life, sentient or not, yet this world was deathly quiet like the inside of the Corridors of Darkness. The closer they drew to the castle, the heavier the air seemed to become, and the darker the skies grew. Pete was old enough to know the stories of the evil that lay resting here, but he had never encountered it personally.

As they reached the front gates of the castle, he could no longer take the silence. "Are you sure dis is a good idea?" he asked, trying to conceal an unnerved shiver.

"Miserable coward... Remain here if you wish, but there will be no place for you when our time comes." she dismissed him with a wave, but when he did not back down, she seemed somewhat satisfied. "Very good, it appears you have some sense of priority after all."

Maleficent thrust open the gates and entered the courtyard, ignoring the hideous statues that lined the path leading to the doors. Pete jumped in surprise as he came face-to-face with a statue of a ferocious monster, angrily shattering the stone in annoyance with his fist. He shook his hand and sucked his thumb with a few mumbled curses, noticing that his boss had already entered the structure. Running through the doors, he found it was surprisingly normal inside, the blood red carpet and stone floors resembling the inside of Villain's Vale. More statues filled the rooms, but they ignored the monstrous figures and continued onwards.

They proceeded quietly as she followed the dark presence, almost as if someone was guiding them to the source of this world's evil. The room's were surprisingly empty for such a large dwelling, yet it was strange to see that no one was living here. Abundant cobwebs and crumbling stone walls were proof that the castle had seen better days, but the duo found an interesting sight as they ascended the deteriorated grand staircase. A purple carpet spanned the majority of the hall, leading to a large pair of double doors on the far end.

The room beyond was a cathedral-sized throne room not so different from the one in Disney Castle, save for the dark ambience and stained glass windows lining the grand hall. The picturesque glass shined with the eerie glow from the moon and remained as brilliant as ever even amidst the dark surroundings. Passing between the columns, Maleficent approached the large throne at the end of the room, pleasantly noting the motif of human skulls carved into the chair's wooden exterior.

"We have arrived!" she announced, extending her arms in a grandiose manner. Before them behind the throne was a gigantic black door seemingly built of stone, several indents on the surface indicating that something was missing. "It would appear that the ultimate power lies beyond here!"

"You jus' leave the grunt work to me, sister!" Pete boasted, rearing back and punching the stone a few times, only to howl in pain. He surrounded his hands with barriers and tried a second time, but not even a dent was present. "They certainly don't make doors like dis back home."

"Incompetent buffoon... Did you honestly think it would be that simple!? It is said that a great evil was defeated ages ago, and doomed to remain imprisoned here for eternity. " Maleficent placed a hand on the surface of the stone. "This must be the final door spoken of within the pages of that book."

"Yer talkin' to someone who was around. Yen Sid and the old king defeated a big monster that attacked Disney Castle all dem years ago. It was a real nasty piece-o-work known as da Shadow Blot, though I never actually saw it with my own eyes."

The sorceress recoiled her hand in surprise as the ground began to rattle, both villains glancing around in surprised as the shadows around them seemingly gravitating towards the center of the room as if drawn by an unseen force. The darkness swirled for a moment before forming a gigantic phantom-like shape, the creature blinking as if waking up for the first time in years. It's large green eyes narrowed in surprise at the sight of visitors, a shapeless glowing green maw they assumed was its mouth opening as a deep, throaty laugh escaped its gullet.

"Yikes, get me oughta here!" Pete fell flat against the wall of the room, as if trying to vanish, but his superior remained undaunted.

Maleficent stepped forward with a look of amusement, clearly enthralled by the shapeless creature floating in the air before them. "Would I be correct to assume that you are the Shadow Blot? The being who was exiled from Disney Castle so long ago."

_"How vexing that a stranger would know me by name..."_ An incredibly deep, hoarse tone emanated from the living void. "_Visitors in my world!? This is certainly unexpected."_

"Are you not the being that was sealed here in ages long past?" the evil fairy questioned again, her countenance unyielding and calm in the face of the shapeless horror

The phantom floated through the air and stretched its formless self into a thin shape, the glowing eyes flashing dangerously as its dark mist-like body coiled around her like a serpent. _"What if I am... It makes no difference to you. Why would anyone come willingly into my midst? Have you no fear for your own safety, witch?" _

Pete stepped forward to help, crunching his fists together. "Now hold on dere, ya oversized ink stain. I recommend you get offa her, or things might get real ugly!"

_"What do we have here... A denizen of Disney Castle?" _The entity let out a snicker that sounded more like coughing, it's smoky form slowly leaving its previous victim and inching towards him. The overstuffed cat backed away looked horrified, its shining eyes only inches from his face as he pressed himself against the back wall of the room_. "Yessssss... I sense your fear... ... Let it grow... ... Let it consume your heart... ... ..." _

"Back off!" Pete squealed, his beady eyes widening in horror.

"Stop your cowering, you imbecile!" Maleficent scolded her henchman, casually passing a hand through the shadowy form before addressing the monster itself. " Spare us your theatrics! This pathetic form you have taken to communicate with us is merely a front, for your real self still remains trapped behind Yen Sid's door. It would appear that you have no real power as you are."

The Shadow Blot's wispy incarnation drifted so that it was floating above the throne. _"Impressive deduction, Fairy of Darkness... It is as you say."_ the phantom shifted into the form of a giant face closely resembling it's true self, a pair of horn protruding from the top of its head. _"Why do you stand before me?" _

"I have come to beseech you, nothing more." Maleficent began with a devious smirk, her words doing little to satisfy the entity. "The power you wielded in ages past once overwhelmed Disney Castle and threatened to send all worlds into the darkness. That is what I seek..."

To her surprise, the phantom snickered one more. _"My power was sealed, and the keys to the door lost forevermore." _

The dark sorceress dismissed his words with a gesture of her hand before gently using it to grasp her scepter. "That is what they said, but such information was fabricated to prevent anyone from seeking the means to release you."

_"You speak lies..." _the Blot hissed, the bitter venom of his voice sending a chill down Pete's spine.

"Do not be so close-minded. How do you think I was able to come to this world?" She raised her arms, as if gesturing towards the entire land, her words silencing the spirit's hissing. "Surely you realize from the... Lack of visitors... That this entire world was sealed off by Yen Sid to prevent access by outsiders. No one was ever to set foot, and yet I am here!"

The room fell silent once more, the eerie quiet making the Blot realize just how long it had been since he heard any voice but his own. _"Perhaps you speak the truth..." _the hidden figure began with a note of renewed interest. _"Still... What do you plan to do? Would you endeavor to release me from this accursed seal, or have you only come to mock my powerless state?" _

"You have remained trapped here for so long, that I shudder to imagine the effects." Maleficent relaxed her shoulders, a cunning smile tugging at her dark lips. "My offer is simple... I shall search for the keys to your freedom, and in return, you are to give me power to rule all worlds!"

_"Interesting to think that you would be so unconcerned for the well-being of others. With my power restored, this miserable plane of existence will be ravaged by darkness for eternity. Is this truly what you desire, witch?" _

The evil fairy let out a dark, mirthless laugh that surprised even the Blot. "In darkness there is no pain... No feelings... No petty emotions that cause dissonance and conflict. Agree to share with me in this glory, and you will be free to do as you wish!"

Silence fell once again, but the sound of the dark entity's deep laughter soon filled the halls. While Pete was noticeably uncomfortable, his superior seemed to relish in it. After what felt like several minutes, the echoing notes slowly subsided, ending with a dark snicker. _"You amuse me, woman... If all you desire is to rule what remains in the wake of my terror, than free me, and you shall have it!" _

"Very good... It appears we have an understanding, then? I shall grant your freedom, and in exchange you will grant me the power to rule all worlds."

_"Yessssss... ... ..."_ The apparition faded away until only the eyes remained, the glowing green orbs giving off a frightening ambience. _"I should know the name of the one I make a pact with. What is your name, evil fairy?" _

She stood up a little straighter, raising her scepter high in the air. " I am the mistress of all evil, she who has brought ruin upon countless worlds... My name is Maleficent!"

_"Deal!"_ the Blot replied without hesitation, his eyes blinking once before vanishing into the darkness from whence they came.

The room gave way to that bottomless silence that pervaded the world which they stood. Maleficent was satisfied with the pact, having confidence in the monstrous phantom's powers to fulfill her desires. She had learned much of the creature in the pages of the book they had stolen from Disney Castle, and believed his to be potentially power greater than anything she had ever witnessed before. The evil fairy cared nothing for what he would do once their deal was complete, since covering all worlds in darkness would only further her own ambitions. Things were going far better for her than they had in quite some time. Xehanort and the Heroes of Light would not have the last laugh this time.

Pete peeked out from behind one the dark throne room's many pillars. "So, what do ya suppose we do now? Far as I know, we got no idea where to find dem keys you was talkin' about?"

"Finding them will be a challenge, but I do no believe it will be impossible. Such things are often forged of a powerful magic, and those most sensitive to such energies such as myself should be able to locate them with minimal difficulty."

"You're soundin' pretty confident there, sister!" the overweight toon placed his hands on his hips with a confounded look, before leaning towards her obnoxiously. "What if we don't got what it takes to find em? I don't think Shadowface is gonna be happy."

"And what concern is that of mine? He is powerless while trapped behind the seal."

The lumbering henchman scratched his head. "Y'know, I guess yer right..." he let out an obnoxious booming laugh at the thought. "What can he do if we don't come through?"

"Precisely, my dear Pete. We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain." Maleficent dismissed his worries with a smug gesture. She considered him for a moment, an intriguing plan coming to mind. "Speaking of which, I believe it is prudent that we call forth our full resources for this endeavor. It is time we benefit from these new alliances we forged these past months."

"I ain't sure they'll come here jus because we say so, but maybe these new developments'll give em some incentive to join up!"

Maleficent turned back to face him, using her hand to tear open a dark doorway. "You will deliver word of our new exploits to the others, but remain hidden while traveling, less his majesty or those meddlesome children discover our plans."

"Don't see why I can't jus give em the ole one-two?"

"We cannot afford your ineptitude causing a rupture in our plans... Not this time!" she added the last part with a distasteful sneer. As he lumbered towards the vortex mumbling complaints under his breath, Maleficent extended a hand to stop him. "Be certain to check on our friends on Gaia VII as well. Valuable as they have been to our cause, I do not entirely trust that scheming brat!"

The humanoid cat saluted with a wave before leaping back into the darkness, leaving his master alone in the empty room. She smirked for a moment using her staff to conjure several thorned plants around the perimeter of the castle. This time, her plans would not fail.

Note to Readers: Hope all you readers enjoyed this chapter, since I worked really hard on it. I apologize in advance if there are any typos, but stuff slips through the nets in editing all the time.

If you would like to see more, please drop a **REVIEW** and tell me if you liked it. I like to see whether or not the support makes it worth continuing beforehand, so consider this a test chapter. Extra points if anyone can guess what game "Gaia VII" is based on. (Should be fairly obvious as I intended it to be)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Haunting Memories**

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Square Enix, or any of their properties, characters, or logos. This story is made solely for fun.

There was a tense atmosphere in Yen Sid's personal chambers as he presided over the gathering, having called together all of the current Keyblade Wielders to inform them of some more recent developments in their war against the darkness. Including King Mickey, who had returned to the Mysterious Tower less than an hour ago, there were five people present aside from the wizard himself. While Sora was still exchanging whispers with Kairi and Riku from time-to-time, Lea hadn't spoken since they arrived, and the mouse appeared hesitant to break the wall of empty silence that engulfed the room.

Lea let out a yawn as he sat down, sitting in the opposite direction so that his arms were resting on the back of the chair. "Call me paranoid for saying this, but something tells me you two didn't call us up here in the middle of the night to tell us a bedtime story."

"Save us the sarcasm." Riku said before turning his attention the blue robed master, narrow blue eyes meeting the old man's stone like gaze. "Although, we can always leave it to him to say what the rest of us are thinking. Does this have anything to do with those things Master Xehanort spoke of?"

"Although we have been preparing for the day of reckoning, this current affair does not relate to the gathering of the Thirteen Seekers of Darkness." The wizard shook his head slowly as he pondered how to properly answer, his face unreadable. "No, that which we have decided to bring to your attention this evening relate to an evil far older than he."

Mickey clapped his gloved hand together, forcing the group's attention onto himself while earning an irritable wince from his former teacher. Although the familiar grimace once scared the mouse king, he remained surprisingly composed. "It's something we thought would eventually be lost to time so long as no one knew the truth, and yet now we have no choice but the face it."

"Yes, time is of the essence. We do not know how far things have been set into motion, but it would be most unwise for us to stall longer than necessary."

"Will someone just tell us what's going on?" Sora interjected, earning a gentle nudge from Kairi for his manners. Despite this, the outburst caused by childlike impatience appeared to have burst through the two-way conversation.

Mickey exchanged an uncharacteristically stern gazed with his former mentor before nodding resolutely, the smallest of gestures being noticed by Riku. The king cupped a hand and cleared his throat, calmly surveying the group. "I'm glad all of you could make it this evening, but unfortunately, my return is not related to your training. We have some important matters to discuss."

"You looked a little panicked when you first got here. I figured something was up soon as you got off the ship." Lea added, his perpetually lax expression sharpening ever-so-slightly.

Kairi appeared nervous for a second, but her expression subsided as she felt a gloved hand cradling her own. A shadow of a smile graced her beautiful features while she exchanged glances with her best friend. "What is it, your majesty?" she pressed the king.

"During my investigations throughout several different worlds, I noticed that Xehanort's growing power has begun to adversely affect the balance of light and dark in the universe."

Sora eagerly leaned forward in his chair, his grip tightening. "That sounds kind of like what happened when Maleficent and Pete appeared in Disney Castle."

"Very similar, but in this case it would appear that the effects are much more widespread." The elderly wizard explained, gently sliding his hand across the surface of his crystal ball. The orb ignited with a flash before revealing the image of twelve black cloaked figures. "As you know, the darkness brought about by the original Organization XIII once overtook this place, allowing Nobodies and Heartless to infest this world, even though it was protected by my magic."

The young, silver-haired master cast a pensive gaze at the magical projections that hovered above the ball. "And you're saying it's worse this time?"

"Oh yes, things have grown far worse that you could imagine. Say for a moment that a person had an untapped darkness within their heart, but has repeatedly been forced to suppress it for fear of repercussions." Yen Sid waved his hand in a circular motion, causing an image of a generic human to appear, a dark cloud passing overhead causing darkness to burst forth from the figure's body. "The sinister shroud created by Master Xehanort's rebirth weakens that resistance to evil, prompting an individual to release their own darkness."

Mickey nodded in agreement. "As you know, this is often the process that creates the Heartless, for when an individual's heart gives into the darkness, it becomes a monster like the ones you guys have been fighting for quite some time."

Sora shrugged nonchalantly, although he looked slightly ashamed of his own thoughts. "I don't mean to sound rude, but this kind of thing happens all the time. Terrible as it is, that's exactly why we fight, am I right guys?"

"You're clearly missing the point." Riku shook his head with a disapproving look, remembering that his friend could often by slow on the uptake. Although the younger teen opened his mouth to argue, he quickly elaborated. "Xehanort's presence is making it so that this happens more often, and a lot easier than before. Am I right?" he looked to the elders for approval.

"Precisely, young master..." the wizard nodded slowly before causing the conjured visuals to vanish into a puff of smoke. "However, far worse has happened as a result of this festering evil. The king will now explain."

"Among the worlds exist several seals that were created to stop the spread of shadow, including the Cornerstone of Light that protects my world. As you already know, Maleficent has managed to penetrate this barrier many times due to the growing darkness weakening its power."

"Didn't you just get through saying that Xehanort has nothing to do with this?" the spiky-haired brunette questioned.

"And he doesn't, at least not directly." The mouse monarch suddenly appeared as if he were concealing a sense of anger, a rare emotion for him that had not been seen in force since Goofy was injured at Radiant Garden. "When Maleficent attacked Disney Castle during your Mark of Mastery exam, she took something or great importance from my personal study... An ancient book known as the Tome of Oblivion."

Kairi blinked, appearing lost for the moment. "What exactly makes this book so dangerous to take? Was it filled with some kind of powerful magic, or something?"

Seeing his old apprentice so distraught, Yen Sid spoke in his place. "In a way, yes. The pages of that volume contained many secrets concerning the history of Disney Castle, among which was the tale of a dark being who once attempted to drown all worlds in darkness, the same ambition that Master Xehanort carries within his twisted heart."

"Wait a minute. Why are you guys so worried about Maleficent finding out about this?" Sora looked between them with a bewildered expression. "It's obvious whatever kind of plans this monster had didn't go so well."

"Otherwise, the whole universe would be trapped in darkness right now." Lea chimed in, taking a moment to stifle a yawn.

The wizard took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, knowing that the truth was bond to come out no matter what. "Some things are not as simple as you may think. Just as the Heartless cannot be purified by anything but a Keyblade, the darkness itself does not vanish completely no matter how much one tries to extinguish it."

"It began quite some time ago... Back when I was still a young sailor working for Big Bad Pete on his riverboat." Mickey added, his head bowing in sorrow as he remembered the events long past. "In the early days of Disney Castle, the original king forged a device known as the Cornerstone of Light to extinguish the darkness from our world."

Riku raised his head a little higher, his own curiosity piqued. "Wait, so there was a king before you! Who was it?"

When the room fell silent, Yen Sid laid eyes on his student once more, knowing full well that the boy still had trouble talking about it. "The previous ruler of the light was a Rabbit by the name of Oswald, a most humorous and light-hearted fellow, and a dear friend to us both. He was loving and selfless king, always seeking new ways to bring peace and prosperity to his people. You see, this is what drew him to become my very first apprentice..."

Mickey let out a weary huff, looking as though he were holding back. "What he wanted most was to ensure that the light would always shine most brightly, and so he used his creation to draw even the smallest evils from the corners of our world and expel the darkness into the void of space."

"Your world seems like a really nice place, so it looks like he succeeded." Sora piped up, his cheerfulness fading when their somber mood did not dissipate. The young man scratched his head with a half-smile. "Um, did I miss something?"

"You guys mind telling us what happened to all the darkness that was expelled from Disney Castle?" Riku interrupted suddenly, his question eliciting mixed reactions from the others. While his friends appeared to be lost in thought, the other two masters were pleasantly surprised by his intelligence, although they knew he was the most knowledgeable about such things.

"Smart lad!" the elderly mage raised an eyebrow, looking halfway between impressed and intrigued by the sudden outburst. Despite this, his neutral countenance quickly returned. "As I have stated before, light and darkness are very much like two sides of a single coin. One cannot exist without the other, and neither can be fully destroyed due to the natural balance that has existed since the dawn of time."

The king clenched his fists still tighter. "The darkness which was driven away by the Cornerstone's light grew in the void between dimensions, slowly absorbing power from other worlds so that it could become stronger. As it evolved over time, this immense evil gained a sense of consciousness as it was exposed to people like Master Xehanort, slowly becoming aware of itself and even its origins."

Yen Sid closed his eyes as he remembering the monster's face. "Steeped in negative emotions, the creature's anger bred unimaginable rage and jealousy towards the light and those who dwelt within it. To fill the void of endless suffering, the monster gathered pieces of primordial worlds long destroyed by time to create its own world, shaping the monstrous landscape into a cruel mockery of the world that had rejected him. The monster named itself the Shadow Blot, and the twisted plane of existence he created out of spite became known to us as the Wasteland..."

Kairi placed her hands on her knees as she pondered the thought, looking shaken by it. "I always believed that everyone has to have some good in them, but this monster lacked even a heart. It just seems sad that any creature could live such an empty existence."

"Maybe if he had a friend like you, things wouldn't have turned out so bad. People become stronger when they're surrounded by the people who care most about them, am I right?" Sora placed a hand around her shoulder and smiled, eliciting a blush from the princess and a pair of knowing expressions from his remaining friends.

The wizard's expression became grim once more. "Pity him, not... The Phantom Blot was created from darkness, and so that is his true nature. He is a destructive being with no fear or mercy, desiring only to drag all that exists into never ending darkness. Truly a kindred spirit to Maleficent, and perhaps even more foreboding than Master Xehanort himself."

"Wait just a minute, will ya?" Lea waved a hand in the air to gain their attention. "What I wanna know is how this thing was stopped the first time? I mean, how did this crazy Bunny King you people keep talking about manage to beat something so powerful?"

"Oswald was the original King of Disney Castle! I would prefer you didn't sully his name by being so nonchalant about this." the current king drew himself up to his full height, the unyielding presence strangely powerful despite his small stature.

The former nobody sat back down lazily, shaking his hands in exasperation. "Sheesh, you made your point, mouse-man."

Sora stood up, looking uncomfortable in the face of the king's unusual behavior. "C'mon guys, let's calm down. I'm sure he didn't mean any offense... I'm sure he's just curious like the rest of us."

"What he said..." Lea agreed with a sweeping motion of his hand. It wasn't as if he purposely tried to be snarky all the time, it just came natural after doing it for so long.

"I'm sorry for overreacting... Its just that he was a very old friend of mine in the early days." Mickey responded, looking down as if he were ashamed of his own behavior. After a moment, the group looked on in surprise as the mouse's tears landed on the ground at his feet. "The truth is, King Oswald and Queen Ortensia both lost their lives fighting that monster, and even then they were unable to destroy it."

"Are you okay, your majesty?" Sora took one step forward, only to be stopped by his silver-haired friend.

Riku lowered his hand and quietly walked over to the king, standing behind him while silently knowing that this gesture of support was all he could give. Although Mickey recovered moments later, the young Keyblade Master instead turned his attention to the wizard. "Master Yen Sid, will you tell us what happened?"

The elderly master's gaze settled on the young bearers of light before moving towards his former apprentice, who returned the gesture with a reluctant nod. "As we have told you before, the Blot's desire to consume everything in darkness led him to lash out at the light dwellers. The great conflict that ensued is perhaps the greatest disaster that has ever come to this world, and it all began one fateful night when the creature returned to the Realms of Light."

Mickey nodded briskly. "As soon as the darkness materialized into our plane of existence, King Oswald set off with Queen Ortensia to investigate."

"They soon contacted me upon deducing the creature's origins, and together we assembled an army of Keyblade Wielders from several worlds in order to combat this threat." The wizard paused as he remembered the faces of so many friends he had lost in this long forgotten age. "In these days, the Heartless had not yet emerged, yet the Blot managed to give shape to darkness itself using its own power. The soulless phantoms he created possessing the ability to drain the very life force from victims to increase their master's power. It was... ... ... Most terrifying..."

"That's horrible!" Kairi placed a hand in front of her mouth to stifle a gasp, earning a concerned look from her friends.

Riku folded his arms with a disgusted look. "Hold on! You're saying there was an army of Keyblade users fighting this monster, and you guys still couldn't destroy it for good?"

"Who were these people, and what happened to them?" The brunette blurted out, causing Mickey to cringe. Despite this, the young hero was too engaged with the story to consider his own manners or tact, although for a change the others seemed not to notice.

Yen Sid stroked his beard solemnly, his eyes closing momentarily. "Oswald was the first student of mine to attain the rank of master, and the others were students that had learned the way of the Keyblade under our shared tutelage." He took a deep healing breath, exhaling slowly as if to unload all of his emotions. "Verily... Not a single one survived the war!"

A wall of silence engulfed the room, falling onto the gathering like a blanket made of lead. It was heavy and uncomfortable, the true extent of which could be seen by the saddened expressions of the room's occupants. Even Sora's upbeat personality had been deflated by this revelation, his mind racing as he imagined all the people around him disappearing into the darkness. The notion was also felt by his remaining friends, who seemed to be thinking the same thing, and the old wounds sealed deep within the hearts of Mickey and his master appeared to have reopened like a deep cut that never truly healed.

Lea was the first to find his voice again, although despite his attempts at renewed nonchalance, even he had been dumbstruck by the revelation. "If you weren't able to stop that demon, than who the Hell was it?"

"You misunderstand, for the story is not yet finished." the old man regained his usual composure as well, letting the others recover a moment longer before speaking again. " Despite what those such as Xehanort and the Shadow Blot are so keen to believe, a human's heart is worth much more when true courage and resolve is shown. It was through this selfless sacrifice that all worlds were able to survive."

Mickey stood forth, looking proud despite his sadness. "At the cost of their hearts, the combined Keyblade Wielders created a force that the Blot was unable to devour. His power could swallow worlds, but even that monster was unable to feed on something so pure."

"But how did they manage to do it!?" Riku questioned, looking both intrigued and in awe of what was being said.

The wizard inclined his head respectfully. "Years passed, and we were no closer to winning this war than when it first began. Realizing that they had no choice but to go to the source of this evil, the young ones beseeched me to open a doorway that would allow them to access the Wasteland where the demon lived. I advised against it, but they refused to listen."

"Oswald came to see me one last time, the day before they began the attack." the king spoke nostalgically, the pain evident in his tone. "It was the last time I ever saw him..."

"That last battle in Wasteland against the Blot was the very last time I raised my Keyblade to fight, and a long battle it was." Yen Sid placed his hand together on the desk. "In the end, only Oswald and myself remained alive, the only survivors now placed against insurmountable odds, staring death in the face as the monster bore down upon us."

"And yet you managed to get through it all in one piece." Lea added with a low whistle, his respect for the old man growing considerably.

The silver-haired teen stepped in front of him before addressing the wizard. "You said that your apprentices helped you by creating some kind of light. How did this happen?"

Yen Sid actually seemed to consider the question deeply, his eyebrows furrowing as the gears began turning in his mind. It was strange to see the mage so puzzled, and yet he was. "I have long understood the workings of magic and thus am able to comprehend many things that other people would not..." he began slowly, his eyes widening. "And yet what happened that day is one of few, true miracles that I have witnessed in my life!"

Sora blinked confusedly, but even after all this time, he appreciated more than anyone else what it was like to witness the most amazing things "So you're saying that..."

"It happened so suddenly." the old mage put in, his stony expression flickering to amazement for a fraction of a second. "While those brave children fell in battle, the hearts of my beloved students endured, and bestowed King Oswald and myself with a power the likes of which I have never seen since that day."

"And that was enough to stop this Blot guy!?" the former Axel questioned with fascination.

He continued the story, disregarding the interruption, "The power of my eight deceased pupils granted us miraculous strength, but Master Oswald realized during this time that our victory was still far from guaranteed. I refused at first, but my old friend insisted that he was willing to give up everything to see this battle through to the end..."

When the wizard fell quiet once more, Sora found himself burning to know the rest. "So what happened after that?" he beckoned, his hands quaking in anticipation.

"It was then that Master Yen Sid called upon an ancient spell... One that would put a stop to the Blot's evil and ensure a future for everyone." King Mickey spoke up, his sudden input surprising his companions after being silent for so long. "Fueled by the power of King Oswald's heart, and those of the remaining eight Keyblade Wielders, they sealed the Shadow Blot away behind a magic doorway."

The elderly wizard found his voice once more. "The hearts of those brave Keyblade Wielders became the nine keys to that door, which then scattered throughout the worlds to prevent anyone from opening the seal. Using my magic, I also isolated the Wasteland from the other realms of darkness so that no one wandering in the shadow worlds would accidentally stumble upon that accursed place, and unwittingly encounter the horrors slumbering beneath those forgotten soils."

Kairi swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat. "What about the book that was stolen from Disney Castle? How does it relate to this situation?"

Mickey shuffled to stand beside his mentor's desk. "Years after beginning my training with Master Yen Sid, I was crowned the second king of Disney Castle. He then handed me the Tome of Oblivion to protect with my life, knowing that it was the only written record of the Blot Wars. It was our intention that this struggle be forgotten by all but us few."

"But why even write a book about it, if you wanted to keep the whole thing a secret?" Sora shrugged, looking surprisingly innocent.

"As the surviving Keyblade Master of that struggle, I took it upon myself to chronicle the events of the Blot Wars so that the brave deeds of those heroes would be immortalized in some manner of speaking, using magic to encrypt certain details so that not just anyone would be able to learn the full truth. The means to access these pages was something I only shared with Master Mouse."

"Although the battles are chronicled in detail, an ordinary reader would simply be lead the believe that the Blot would remain sealed forever. Unfortunately, this is not the case." the king clenched his gloved hands again.

Yen Sid nodded slowly. "The secret portion of the book reveals the true fate of my companions' hearts, and their continued existence as keys to the seal."

"And now Maleficent knows, too!?" Riku burst out, the idea shocking his two oldest friends.

"I have sensed the seal around Wasteland has been breached, and the presence responsible is very familiar, being that of the evil fairy and her assistant. Due to the information contained within that book and the nature of this sudden disruption, we have reason to believe that they have not only broken my encryption, but are plotting to find the keys as we speak!"

The spiky-haired brunette raised his first, aggressively stomping his foot on the floor. "Do you know where these keys are? If so, we've gotta go and protect them as soon as possible!"

"And that is why I have called you all here tonight." the wizard concurred, pleased that they had put it all together quickly. He clapped his hands softly to conjure the images of Master Xehanort and Maleficent in his crystal ball, an image of his tower appearing between them. "We now fight a war on two fronts, and the noose tightens with each passing moment."

Lea stood up suddenly, casting off his stiffness. "Man, looks like we'll get some real action after all. Sounds like a nice change of pace."

"Don't take this so lightly!" Mickey hopped in place twice, his impatience surfacing. "You may be new to this, but you're a Keyblade Wielder like the rest of us. You have a responsibility to uphold on behalf of all worlds. This isn't supposed to be fun!"

"All right, I get it." the fiery redhead shrugged off the second lecture before addressing the actual situation. He snapped his fingers twice to gain the attention of the eldest of their group. "So old-timer, what do you have planned for us, now?"

Riku exhaled grumpily in response to the older man's impertinence. "Don't be so impatient."

"Sheesh, first I get chewed out by the mouse, and now I'm getting lectured by the kids?"

"I'm sure he's just in a hurry to get out there and fight the good fight, am I right?" Sora added in.

"You know it, kid." Lea replied smoothly, exchanging a quick fist bump and arm lock with the younger Keyblade Wielder. "I'm itching to make it up to you guys for the things that happened when I was a Nobody, and this gives me the opportunity to be the hero for a change. This time, I'll be the man on top, kiddies... Got it memorized?"

Kairi walked over to join the boys. "You guys can count on me, too. I won't be left behind ever again!"

"Not like we'd let you!" her spiky-haired crush added, his smile lifting away all of her doubts..

The wizard watched his young charges profess their confidence, feeling somewhat proud that they were still able to speak so brazenly despite all of the things they had endured over the last year or so. The change of mood even lifted Mickey's spirits, even though he had been dwelling over the situation only moments before. It brought a familiar smile to the mouse king's face, and he couldn't help but feel that same level of inspiration shared by his younger companions. It almost reminded him of the way he was so long ago.

After taking in the atmosphere for a bit, Yen Sid raised a hand towards the others, his gesture immediately bringing the meeting back to order. The wizard cleared his throat as the focus returned to himself, waiting for all chatter to subside before speaking once more. "Now then, one of the main concerns I harbor concerning this situation, is our current lack of knowledge."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that? You just told us the story, so it's not like we're going in clueless, or anything crazy like that."

"Indeed... Yet there is one crucial thing that we do not know, and that is the location of the keys themselves. We can assume that Maleficent and her minions also remain unaware of where to find them, which may buy us some time."

"I can't be that bad. Do you know where any of them ended up?" the silver-haired teen asked.

"It is very hard for me to say." Yen Sid fingered the end of his beard, his frown deepening in thought. "Over time, my journeys led me to the first of the nine, and yet I allowed it to remain where it was in the hopes that the truth would never see the light of day."

The red-haired fire-user made a sweeping gesture with his black gloved hand "Then what're we waiting for? Then let's go get the thing and be done with it, unless of course, you'd rather those creeps find it first."

King Mickey remained firm. "That will be out first step to take, but keep in mind that it was only by chance that we found one. The real problem is the very nature of its existence."

Sora placed his hands on his upper legs and leaned in. "Which would mean, what now?"

The elderly mage frowned again. "The keys were originally spawned from the hearts of my students who gave their lives to ensure peace, and yet when we discovered the first key, it had bonded with a simple object, bestowing certain supernatural qualities upon the item in question. We fear that the other keys may have done the same, which only complicates the situation."

"Whatever they are, these things could already belong to people, and they might have already figured out a way to use the power for themselves." Riku deduced, causing the wizard to raise his eyebrow in respect.

"That was our original hypothesis, although we did not bother seeking the others, confident that no one else would learn the secret. At the time, I believed it in our best interest to keep the past buried where it was, yet now we are left with little option but to gather and protect the legacy of my departed friends."

"Which is why we're going to have to split up our party into two teams." Mickey called out in a businesslike tone.

Sora gave him a respectful yet playful salute, looking less like a brave soldier and more like a child playing army with his friends. "I'm on board no matter what you need us to do. So what's the plan, your majesty?"

"Riku and I will continue our investigation into Xehanort's plot while searching for signs of his activities. The last time we saw him, he was still searching for a Thirteenth vessel to complete his new Organization XIII."

The former syndicate member unfolded his arms, cracking his shoulder back into place with a push. "Don't envy the jerk who gets stuck in that role. I was a part of the organization for the best years of my life, and frankly it's a pretty horrible job."

"Well, it's not like Nobodies had a ton of choices for jobs, am I right?" Sora shrugged, knowing that his own alternate self had been among the thirteen seekers once, too. "The good news is that Xemnas wasn't able to infect most of you guys with Xehanort's heart."

"Tell me about it... It was bad enough being forced to do all of the icky jobs." Lea pulled Sora into a headlock, dropping the struggling boy into the nearest chair. "Still, I wouldn't have met my best friend if I hadn't stuck around, so in retrospect it might've been worth it."

Yen Sid watched them with a stoic look. "I admire the companionship that exists between you, my young Keyblade Wielders... Nevertheless, it is time that we get down to business."

"That's right. I've already made the arrangements, so we have no time to lose." The king placed his hands on his hips with a similar expression to his former mentor. "While my team continues our search for Master Xehanort, Sora and Lea will head back to Disney Castle aboard the Gummi Ship to seek out the only known key. Report back here once you have it, and the rest of us can meet to decide what our next move will be."

The Princess of Heart immediately picked up on her lack of inclusion. "What about me?"

"I believe it would be best if you remain here to continue your training." the wizard explained. "Your skills with the Keyblade are rudimentary at best, and you have yet to master the basic use of elemental magic."

Sora stepped in front of her with a pleading expression. "C'mon Master Yen Sid, you can't leave her out of this when she's been training her butt off for so long. I didn't know anything about the Keyblade early on, and had to learn everything through experience."

The elderly master raised a thick, gray eyebrow in surprise. "You wish to put a friend in unnecessary peril? As a Princess of Heart, it is imperative that she be able to protect herself in case the new organization makes a move to claim one of the Seven Pure Lights."

"I understand that you guys wanna stick together, but he's absolutely right about the dangers involved." Mickey added with a concerned frown.

Riku looked conflicted, but after a moment's hesitation, he shook his head. "If you care about her safety, it might be smart for her to stay here and gain some more experience."

"Real experience isn't something you can get by sitting around here and practicing. And it's not like she'll be alone!" the spiky-haired hero argued back, clenching a fist tightly. "Kairi's been working so hard to fight alongside us after sitting on the sidelines. It was hard for everyone, but now we can stand together as friends just like we always did before!"

"Sora..." Kairi muttered his name affectionately. She stepped forward assertively surprising the wizard. She summoned her Destiny's Embrace with a wave of her hand, tightening her grip on the handle of the Keyblade. "This time, I'll use my power to protect everyone else!"

Lea glanced between the two factions and shrugged again. "I guess it can't be helped." he spoke with a sly expression, clapping his hands on the shoulders of the two youngest heroes. "You guy's don't need to worry, cause I'll be there to look after them both."

"Forgive me if I am still uncertain." the elderly mage observed them pensively for several seconds before slowly exhaling a deep sigh. "Very well then, it appears you three will not be convinced otherwise... It is against my principles to force any of my students to obey, regardless of the situation." he gave them a dismissing gesture. "Do as you wish!"

"I'm not sure about this." Riku rounded on his best friend with a sigh of his own, making the young master seem much older than he was. "But I'll respect your choices. You better not let anything happen to her." He glanced at the fiery-haired man. "That includes both of you!"

"Chill out, Master Uptight." Lea responded, waving his hands in mock fear.

"I might have been against it, but I'm sure she'll be well-protected either way!" Mickey pointed to the star-shaped window in the corner of the room, revealing the presence of a familiar Gummi Ship speeding their way. "I've provided two of the best to escort you on this important mission!"

The others reached the window over just in time to see the vessel land beside the tower, a pair of familiar figures jumping down from the cockpit. Goofy and Donald were decked out in their traveling gear, weapons in hand and at the ready as they looked up towards the window.

"Your majesty, we're back!" Donald quacked loudly, springing into a loyal salute.

The dog man stumbled as he climbed down from the ship, falling into a tumble and humorously landing on both feet, slightly dazed but completely unharmed. "Hyuck... Hey Sora! Good ta see ya again!" he waved frantically.

"Hey guys, glad you made it!" Sora waved back, looking as if he wanted to run downstairs and embrace his two old travel buddies.

He turned back to face the king, who replied with a cheerful nod before addressing the newly-formed team. "Looks like you kids got a ride to catch... I apologize for not being able to go with you, but both of our jobs are equally important, and we gotta carry them out together!"

"Don't worry your majesty, you can count on us!" he responded, breaking into a run as he bolted from the room excitedly.

Kairi bid them goodbye with a smile and a wave before followed after Sora, quickening her own pace in an attempt to catch up. closely followed by Lea, who seemed much less enthusiastic due to his more relaxed demeanor. The fiery-haired man made a pointing gesture at his remaining allies before heading to the stairs, calmly following after the others at a leisurely pace. For some reason, he couldn't help but think about the days he spent with Roxas on missions, and their afternoons sitting atop the clock tower in Twilight Town. There were two of them back then, but for some reason it felt nostalgic having three people on the team.

Suddenly Lea winced as he felt a pain in his head followed by the image of a black-haired Kairi floating through his mind. "Ugh... What was that?"

"Is there something wrong?" Riku asked, noting the older man's previous uttering.

"Nah, I just realized I'm gonna be stuck with those lovebirds and the two stooges for a while." he joked, quickly slipping through the door in an attempt to escape the strange sensation.

The silver-haired master turned to face the others, but stopped midway as he too felt the jolt of pain, the memory of a strange dark-haired girl appearing in his mind once more. He had never seen her before either, yet for some reason the scene floating through his mind showed them both holding a conversation, and even stranger was her odd resemblance to Kairi. Riku tried to ignore the occurrence, but for some reason, all he could think about was Ansem the Wise's lecture to him about the "Chain of Memories". It was almost haunting... ... ...

Meanwhile...

Pete stood in a gigantic room large enough to conduct a basketball game, the metal floor and shining walls giving it a futuristic ambience slightly reminiscent of Space Paranoids. The main part of the floor was white with black tiles covering the walls, with a gray and black design on the center of the space. A ring of large pillars decorated the main office space, each adorned with an orb providing light. A pair of couches situated closer to the entrance, while the back wall was comprised a giant window overlooking the dismal city below. At the end of the room stood what appeared to be some kind of desk or control panel, surrounded by a metal shell shaped like a horseshoe, and a single chair occupied by the ruler of this world.

"I'm telling ya, everything she said was one-hundred percent true... Dis discovery of ours is gonna give ya everything we promised, and then some!" Pete beckoned his new benefactor, earning a thoughtful expression from the man.

Bearing down on him from behind the raised desk was a young man with cold pitiless blue eyes, and blonde hair styled with a few strands dangling over his face. He wore an expensive white business suit with a black shirt underneath, both covered by a similarly patterned white jacket slightly resembling a lab coat. Despite Pete's constant rambling the last hour or so, he had listened quietly, only pausing to ask questions if something interested him.

"So, uh... What do ya say to our offer, Mr. Shinra?" the overweight cat finished lamely, the other man's silence unnerving him a bit.

Rufus Shinra stood up and turned his back to his visitor, staring through the window into the chaotic streets below. He was indifferent to the screams and gunfire that occasionally echoed through the night. "I am grateful for your assistance. It has been... most valuable... in ensuring my continued control of this world."

Pete groaned, having grown impatient with his stalling. "All we're askin' for is some help pumping out dem Heartless. It's a pretty good deal, that is, if ya want a seat o' power when Maleficent and me is in charge!"

The young CEO continued on as if he had not been disrupted. "The information you shared with Hojo on how to produce those creatures has proven useful in instilling fear in those who would rebel against the Shinra Corporation... It takes too much money to do it like my old man. A little fear does well to control the minds of the common people."

"Well I'm glad yer so happy with the results, but enough of dat prattle!" the giant cat reiterated. "Tell me what ya think about the new deal we got going here? Sounds pretty snazzy, right?"

Rufus Shinra remained unmoved as he shifted around in his seat. "So far I've kept my end of the bargain: In exchange for producing the Heartless on a mass scale, you allow me to use them for my own vendetta. Even if you are telling the truth about this mythical phantom, I still don't understand the new deal. How does the presence of this so-called monster affect our current arrangement?"

"Dis Shadow Blot fella is offerin' us all the power in the universe, and all we gotta do is set him free. Now dat's pretty dang simple and straightforward far as I'm concerned."

The young man turned to face his visitor, his empty stare sending chills down his spine. "And what concern of that of mine?"

"So long as you lend us support in settin' the monster free, Maleficent is willing to give you and the rest of yours a share of the prize when every world in this big wide universe becomes ours for the taking." Pete let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. "Pretty sweet deal, ain't it rich boy?

The executive locked gazes with his unwanted guest. "Allow me to explain this in a way you'll understand..." he began slowly, causing Pete to flinch slightly at his callousness. "This world belongs to me, but to challenge the universe would mean risking what I already have. Do what you wish with the other worlds, I have no interest in them."

"You seem ta forget, that as long as yer using the darkness to keep this place under your thumb, there's bound to be some do-gooders out there who wanna stop ya. Dere's this group of kids that's been houndin' ole Maleficent for a while now, and they're bound to show up here eventually to do the same to you!" Pete stomped his foot irritably. "What do ya say to that, kiddo?"

"Shinra Vessels and Heartless are constantly patrolling the airspace around this world. The chances that anyone will be able to penetrate Gaia VII's defenses while piloting a craft is nonexistent, and even if they survive, ground forces are prepared to strike. You'll find we're a bit more cautious than you."

"Now see here, you rotten little ankle biter, yer gettin' too big for your britches! These are the kids who beat down Maleficent once before!" The hulking goon snapped one of the room's pillars with a swing of his fist.

Pete stumbled back as a bullet shot ricocheted inches from where his foot had been, his entire body becoming encased by a pyramid-shaped structure composed entirely of energy moments later. He pounded against the walls of the miniature prison, finding them surprisingly resilient despite his own prodigious strength. Rufus Shinra put away his shotgun looking as if he had just swatted a bug, the sound of another person's footsteps catching Pete's attention. A man with spiky red hair wearing a dark blue suit stepped out from behind the barrier, a strange metallic rod held loosely between his fingers, and a smirk like that of a Cheshire Cat.

"Is this overweight thug bugging you, Mr. Shinra?" the new visitor asked, looking highly amused by the sudden, and most notably violent, turn of events.

"I ain't dat plump, you scrawny little misfit!" Pete bellowed, conjuring his own barrier and expanding its range to shatter the prison. "You punks got a lot a nerve, pickin' a fight with me! Why I oughta break you guys in half, or flatten the tires on yer cars at least."

Rufus sat back down with a dour expression, snapping his fingers over his shoulder. "Please escort Mr. Pete from my office immediately, Reno."

The blue-clad man twirled his Electro-Mag Rod between his fingers, pressing the end into their visitor's plump backside, causing him to jump as he was hit with a zap of electricity. "You heard the man. Time to go, feline Frankenstein!" he jeered, tugging the large toon roughly as he wrapped a hand around his shoulder.

Pete yanked his arm free while using the darkness to rip open a portal. "Yer gonna live ta regret this, I'm tellin' ya that! Don't expect no help from us if those rotten do-gooders come knocking!"

"You may have provided the information on how to utilize the Heartless, but you also lack the resources to produce the numbers Maleficent desires. That's why you came to my world to begin with, am I right? If the worst truly does come to pass, you may have no choice but to assist me once more."

"Hear that? I'm no expert on this, but it sounds like you need us just as much as we need you guys." Reno added mockingly. The man raised a foot and booted Pete headfirst into the Dark Corridor. "And don't let the door hit you on the way out!"

The corrupt CEO straightened the wrinkles on his jacket, looking completely indifferent by his visitor's less than friendly departure. After stowing his weapon away in the inside of his coat, Rufus re-buttoned the top of his suit and crossed the room, stepping past his bodyguard without so much as a backwards glance. Reno's energetic and mocking demeanor did little to amuse him at the moment, but he regarded the elites of his fighting force to be useful to the company's ability to maintain a firm grip over the City of Midgar, and all of Gaia VII.

"You, uh... don't really trust those guys, do you?" he asked the boss with a note of distaste.

"It doesn't matter whether or not I do, so long as the Shinra Group remains on top. I am curious about these people he mentioned." As the he reached the door, the CEO paused another moment, turning to get a better view of his companion. "Alert the Turks of potential security breeches and have them double the security forces in the immediate vicinity."

"No problem, boss." Reno inclined his head slightly as he watched the other man leave. "Say, where are you off to right now?"

"I need to speak to Professor Hojo immediately... It's not your concern." Rufus answered, the slamming of the door behind him and signaling the end of their short conversation.

As the Shira executive headed downstairs, Pete continued his run through the Corridor of Darkness, his annoyance having reached its limits. He dealt with enough verbal abuse everyday working for Maleficent, but the last thing he wanted was to suffer the same from everyone else he was forced to be in contact with. The large toon continued his run through the swirling shadow matter, having become quite accustomed to using the inter-dimensional tunnels are a means of transportation due to years of experience. He had done his jobs for the night and decided to return to the Wasteland.

After what felt like forever, the lumbering cat touched down on solid ground once more, landing face first before the door of Dark Beauty Castle. The surrounding still gave him the creeps, especially since the first floor was home to those monstrous statues, but he was more concerned about the evil fairy's reaction to their benefactor's less than hospitable reaction. He heard voices coming from the castle's grand entry hall beyond the doors, slowly creeping forward to hear better, but accidentally stumbling through the entry as he leaned on the aged doors.

Maleficent stopped speaking to whoever was present, her attention shifting to her assistant. "I see you have returned, dear Pete... Perhaps you came to inform me of your success in mustering our remaining allies to the cause."

"Uh... ... Define the word, success?" Pete began slowly, earning an angry scowl from the sorceress.

"As expected, you're as worthless as ever!" she snapped, causing him to flinch in fear of the punishment that was certain to follow.

"Hey hey hey, no need to blow your top, Miss Horn-headed-turn-into-a-Dragon." a scheming voice spoke from the darkness, the sarcasm in his tone present. The presence of blue fire illuminated the man's sharp features as he stepped out of the shadows, revealing the face of the Lord of the Dead.

"What the Heck are you doin' here?" the anthropomorphic cat walked over to the group.

Hades took a seat on a large chair situated in the hall, leaning on his hand with a sleepy expression. "Things were going kinda slow at the old coliseum, so I says to myself 'Hey, why not see what Dragon Breath and the Fat Cat are up to?' So here I am now..."

"I summoned him here, and he agreed to lend his support to our cause once more." Maleficent swept past the Greek God with a look of disdain. When no one spoke up, she advanced on the lazy deity. "Perhaps this time, you might feel more compelled to personally involve yourself in the festivities... What say you?"

"What I says, is that you need to find someone else to do your dirty work. I came down here to hang around, take in the atmosphere, watch some people get hurt... Y'know, good stuff like that." he spoke a mile a minute, sounding as arrogant and relaxed as ever. "Was never big on the whole gettin' my hands dirty thing. You know what I'm saying, Male-babe?"

"Well I see you haven't changed any." Pete let out a low chuckle in response to his master's ensuing irritation, covering his mouth in fear as he eyes settled on him.

"Like I always say, a real bad guy let's other people do the fightin' for 'em." Hades explained. "When you're the boss, you're the man! I mean, the big bad dude doesn't need to handle the grunt work, or else they ain't really the top dog, you feel me?"

Pete angrily rounded on the deity. "Jus' cause I do the footwork, doesn't mean I ain't the big man?"

Maleficent tapped her staff against the stone floor, her expression going from livid to mere irritation. "Since you seem to keen on expressing yourself, perhaps you care to explain to me why your mission was less than successful?"

She began stepping towards him, causing the lumbering henchman to panic slightly. "Now hold on there, I didn't say it was a completely failure." he waved his hands protectively in front of his body. "I'd say about half of 'em agreed to help us out, although I couldn't find some of the others. I'd say we got a pretty good start, though."

"When they see the power we plan to unleash firsthand, the others will no doubt flock to our cause. If not, they will face the same fate as anyone else who would dare defy my will."

"You got dat right, sister!" Pete boasted, standing his hunched frame up a little straighter.

"It seems I'm not the only one around here who's got friends on the other side..." a deep voice spoke, his figure remaining hidden in the shadows.

Pete looked over his master's shoulder as if noticing for the first time the remaining silhouettes standing behind Hades. "Hey, looks like I'm not the only one who was out recruiting today." he squinted at the man who just spoke. "Though it looks like this guy's built like a stick. Better not break 'em by accident." he let out a booming laugh.

Maleficent gestured towards the shadowed man with an evil smirk. "You shouldn't be so quick to judge a person by appearance alone, my dull-witted Pete. This gentleman has a fascinating connection with the darkness, therefore I saw it imminent that we would eventually join forces. Naturally, he found the prospect most interesting, and furthermore, he possesses rather intriguing powers that may yet benefit the cause."

The lanky figure twirled a top hat in between his fingers, placing the article on his head with a wide grin, visible even through the darkness. "You got that right, polyester player... I've got magic the likes of which you never seen, and that ain't no joke!"

Pete took a step back to get a better look at the remaining people his superior had summoned to the meeting, her beady eyes first settling on a tall man with long dark hair and glasses wearing red headphones around his neck and a black suit. The bad lighting made it almost impossible to read the man's expression, he carried himself with an air of confidence. The second was a short, slightly plump figure wearing a dress, with messy shoulder-length hair and large eyes. The third was the most striking, a humanoid villain standing at near twenty feet tall, with what appeared to be a small, long-eared animal perched on its shoulder. There were a few more, but he couldn't make out much detail due to the bad lighting.

Maleficent moved so that she was standing in the center of the room, shoving her minion aside without further acknowledgement. "I thank you all for coming tonight, my allied forces." The evil fairy thrust her arms in the air dramatically, her tattered cloak billowing outwards like the wings of a demon. "With our combined resources, we shall cover all worlds in everlasting darkness, and reshape them however we desire! This universe will be ours!"

Faint murmurs erupted from the shadowed figures as she made the announcement, the assembly talking amongst each other as Hades and Pete watched on. Being acquainted with the sorceress and her methods, her two most familiar allies were not as affected. As the wind from the endless drifted in through the open door, the candles lighting the Grand Hall were snuffed out, leaving the room in total darkness once more. Maleficent let out a chortle of laughter, knowing full well that this was only a preview for the future of all that lives.

Meanwhile...

"Looks like we finally made it! Sora stretched his arms outwards while cracking his knuckles.

Kairi leaned over him to see out the window, her eyes growing wide with a sense of wonder as she laid eyes on the gigantic castle. "So this is Disney Castle, right? It's looks like a really nice place to visit, like something out of a child's dreams."

"It's all right..." Lea stood up, taking a second to snap the kink in his neck back into place. "I didn't get a good look the last time I was here, but the place has it's good points."

The brunette exited the ship, landing on his feet beside it. "I heard from the king that there's a lot more to this world than just the castle, including an amusement park and a ton of other places to have fun. Too bad we're here on a mission, huh guys?"

"A good time for me is a bar of Sea-Salt ice cream and a nice bed to nap in." the fire user strolled past him, taking a moment to admire the clear blue skies before giving his friends a solid pat on the back. "Not to mention spending time with your buddies. In my opinion, you don't need anything else to have some real fun."

Sora looked up at the castle behind them, realizing for the first time that they had landed away from the main structure in a place he hadn't see before. "You guys parked a little far, didn't ya?" he addressed the pilots. "Aren't we going to the castle to find that key?"

Donald Duck marched up to his human friends. "Oh, that's right! You haven't seen much outside of the castle, have you?" he squawked, earning a nod from Sora.

"Actually, we're headin' somewhere else this time." Goofy added with a shake of his head. "It's quite a long walk from the Disney Town, so we'll gettin' a ride. If ya'll would follow me, we gotta get to the meeting point fast."

Goofy and Donald led the way through the streets of Disney Town, the colorful buildings and bustling streets filled with several toons that Sora vaguely recognized from his trip through the Timeless River. He noticed that humans seemed to attract quite a bit of attention due to the world being mostly populated by anthropomorphic animals, but the strangers were pleasant nonetheless, happily waving and imparting pleasant greetings as they went about their daily business. Like the castle itself, the other buildings were whimsical and often unsymmetrical, but the town itself had a certain charm to it.

As they walked on Sora looked down and noticed Kairi's hand dangling beside his, quietly resisting the urge to reach out and hold it. "So, you excited for your first real mission?"

"I guess you could say that." she replied, her smile bright and warm as ever. The redheaded girl looked off into the distance for a moment before turning back to face her friend. "It's like I said before: I won't just stand around while everyone else protects me like before. This is my opportunity to protect you guys for a change!"

Lea walked past them, looking back with a crafty smirk. "Don't go getting ahead of yourself, princess. Things can get really rough out here in the field, and you don't wanna get to confident before getting a taste of the action."

Kairi responded by sticking her tongue out, the gesture surprising her friends. Normally she wouldn't have been so blatantly rude, but being around her friends again made her less uptight about everything. "I still owe you for kidnapping me, Axel."

"That was so funny I forgot the laugh." The former Organization member replied smartly. "Good one, but I wasn't quite myself back in those wilder days, so it really doesn't count."

"Wilder days? You mean a few months ago?" Sora half-joked, earning a series of giggles from his best friend, while Lea resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Say what you want, I was just trying to warn Princess here, that goals are never as easy to accomplish as they are to talk about. It wasn't anything personal, if that makes you feel better."

The Princess of Heart looked down at her own feet as she thought about what he said, before returning his gaze. "You're definitely right about that." she began, suppressing a grimace. "But I would really appreciate it if you would stop calling me princess, and call me Kairi instead."

Lea ran a hand through his spiky hair before walking on ahead. "Sure, it's all the same to me." Sora opened his mouth to say something else, almost walking into the taller man's back as the group procession came to a swift stop.

"Well lookie here... There's our ride!" Goofy pointed across the street, their eyes gravitating towards a large stretch limo.

The giant car was a royal purple color and especially large even by human standards, being built to accommodate even folks of Pete's immense size. The body of the vehicle was lined in gold, ending in a hood ornament shaped like a dollar sign. As they took in the aesthetics, the front seat door opened to reveal an anthropomorphic dog roughly Goofy's height, though his plump frame and light tan fur were in direct contrast with the latter's dark coloring and skinny build. The man also appeared somewhat older, having a balding scalp and wearing a neatly ironed suit, giving him the vibe of a stern and dignified server.

Donald was the first to greet the newcomer. "I see you made it early... Good job, Duckworth."

"Excellent to see you again, Master Donald. I do hope Miss Daisy and the others are doing well." The canine butler replied, acknowledging him with a bow of his head as he walked around the car, opening the doors for the group. "Mr. McDuck looks forward to seeing you all. Please get in so we can be on our way."

As the others began filing into the transport, Sora found himself full of questions. "So Donald, is this guy your butler or something?"

"No, he's Uncle Scrooge's butler." the duck replied, hopping onto the back seat and shuffling over so that his friends would have more room.

Goofy went next, followed by Sora, who conveniently found himself situated between his two travel buddies, and directly across from Kairi. Lea off the side, looking out the window with a bored expression, despite the fact that the ride hadn't even started yet. Once they were all buckled in, the middle-aged chauffeur closed the doors behind them, returning to the driver's seat and closing the soundproof window that separated him from the passengers.

Kairi looked out the window before turning her attention to the others, focusing instead on their duck friend. "So Donald, are we going to see your uncle?"

"Yup, and it's da first time I've been back home in a while." Donald replied, sounding more excited than he intended.

Goofy gave them a loud hyuck noise before speaking up. "His Uncle Scrooge lives in a giant mansion in Duckburg over yonder. He practically built the town himself, though he's always off working on some kinda money-makin' business."

The group continued their conversation as the car continued, falling quiet on occasion as Duckworth dutifully took care of the driving. After piloting a Gummi ship between worlds, hiking around on foot, and swimming through oceans, Sora found the change of pace to be quite relaxing. He had never been in a limousine like this before, and was still surprised at how large it was on the inside. After roughly ten more minutes, the car entered a forest, emerging twenty minutes later in an open road leading downhill. They had been traveling for about a half an hour, but their destination now stood dead ahead.

Sora peeked out the window just in time to see the settlement up ahead, consisting of several house resembling those they had seen around Disney Castle, but in a more uniform color scheme. A large suspension bridge could be seen leading over the river that branched off of the western side of the city, although the most striking detail was the large hill that towered over the settlement, on which stood a large manor house and a gigantic larger-than-life building with a dollar sign painted on the side.

"Is this Duckburg!?" Sora asked, his eyes immediately gravitating towards the hillside. He leaned against the window, not even waiting for an answer. "Whoa, what's that big structure towering over everything?"

Kairi let out a stifled giggle as he started asking more questions, happily taking in all of the childlike qualities that made her like him all the more. After a minute or so, she gently nudged his arm. "I'm sure we'll be able to visit again some other time, then we can see all the sights for ourselves."

Donald let out a quack before trying to tackle some of his friend's questions. "This is the place I was born, and that giant building on the hill is Uncle Scrooge's money bin."

"He's that rich?" the brunette stuttered, silently wondering how much could fit in that building.

Goofy chuckled in his awkward yet lovable manner. "The richest duck in the world is what they call 'em, though if ya wanna be more accurate, I'd venture say it's more like richest guy in at least ten worlds. Wouldn't ya agree?"

"I guess that makes sense. He's got businesses going in several worlds from what I remember, and that includes his new shop in Radiant Garden." Sora spent a second thinking. "Didn't it have something to do with selling Sea Salt ice cream?"

Although the others prepared to resume the conversation, Lea was growing tired of sitting quietly. "I like sea salt ice-cream as much as the next guy, but that's beside the point." The fire user folded his arms tapping his foot against the plush carpet of the limo. "Before we get there, why don't you guys tell us how this relates to finding the first key."

"You'll find out soon enough." Donald squawked, earning a series of slow nods from his partner.

"Yes siree, the king told us not to say nothin' bout it until we reach the mansion."

Sora smiled humorously as the older man snorted. "Weren't you the one telling Kairi to be patient earlier? Maybe you should take your own advice."

"Whatever you say kiddo..." Lea responded, kicking his feet up as the limo continued it's steady trek towards their destination on the hill.

Note to Readers: That's chapter two down. I'm still trying to see whether or not the support is here for me to continue writing this, so don't forget to **REVIEW** and tell me what you think. As always, I apologize for any typos that slipped through my proverbial net. If you have any ideas or contributions, I am the kind of writer who has taken advice from his reviewers and readers in the past, since I always strive to make my story the best it can be. That being said, I hoped everyone enjoyed this second installment.

Note that the character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was Disney's first star cartoon character, predating even Mickey Mouse. Extra points if you guys recognize any of Maleficent's new group.


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